DMK protests offensive on Lankan Tamils

Chennai, Feb.8, (ANI): Activists of the ruling Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam (DMK) on Sunday staged a protest against the Sri Lankan Army’’s offensive on ethnic Tamils in that island-nation. States Rural Development Minister M. K. Stalin led the protest and raised anti-Lankan slogans. The protesters called for a democratic solution to the Sri Lankan crisis. “The massive rally is being conducted with the help of members and other political partners of DMK. It is conducted mainly to stop killings in Sri Lanka so that at least the remaining Tamils can live there in peace,” Stalin said. India has been demanding protection for Sri Lanka’’s Tamils, who are closely linked to the 60 million Tamils in Tamil Nadu. External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee recently visited Sri Lanka and discussed various possible safety measures for trapped Tamils with Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Mukherjees visit was also to cool tensions between Central government and the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu. Sri Lanka’’s military has encircled the Tigers and is confident it will win a war that is now one of Asia’’s longest-running conflicts, in which 70,000people have been killed since 1983. (ANI)